Keep an Eye Out for Cereal Leaf Beetle Larvae

May 22, 2024

Cereal leaf beetle (CLB) adults have been active and laying eggs over the last month in winter cereals. Though the adult feeding does not cause much injury, expect to start seeing larvae and their leaf feeding start over the next few weeks. My crew just found a few first instar CLB larvae today in one of the YEN sites we are monitoring this year. On the positive side, with this heat, the winter cereals are advancing quickly and may get passed the critical early heading stages, avoiding peak larval feeding. But spring cereals might be at greater risk.

Cereal leaf beetle larvae are 6 mm (1/4 in.) in length when mature and yellowish in colour, but this colour is hidden by a black deposit of their fecal material making it slug-like in appearance. This creates a dome around them, keeping them moist in dry conditions while protecting them from predators. When this outer coating is removed, you will find a yellowish beige larva underneath with a brown head and three pairs of small brown legs at the front of the body.

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Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta